More Than Just Friends
by Tanoshimi
Summary: Naruto and Sakura have always been friends, and everyone knows that Naruto has always had feelings for Sakura. What happens when she feels the same way? Naruto X Sakura


Well! It's good to finally be on the fanfiction community. This is my first time here as a user, and this is the first fanfic that I wrote. A shout-out to the friends who gave me the courage to post my work up here. To all viewers, I hope you enjoy this!

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"Sakura-chan!"

The pink-haired girl looked up from her medical research. She sighed. Her moment of peace had been broken, and it seemed to have been all too brief.

"What is it, Naruto? I'm busy right now. Can't you see I have work to do?"

"Tsunade-baachan is a slave driver. You don't _always _have to listen to her."

"It's not for Tsunade-shishou. It's for me." Sakura huffed and resumed her reading. "And really, Naruto, you should be more courteous. Calling Jiraiya-sama "Ero-sennin" and Tsunade-shishou "baachan" isn't polite."

"Well, Ero-sennin is pervy and Tsunade-baachan is old. I only say what I see!" Naruto whined. Sakura didn't reply. She didn't have to. Deep inside, Inner Sakura (however rarely she showed up) agreed wholeheartedly with her blonde friend. Her manners were the only barriers that stopped the fiery 18 year-old from blurting out embarrassing names to her superiors. Noticing her lack of response (plus the concentrated expression on her face), Naruto said meekly,

"I can come back later, if you're really that busy--"

"It's okay, Naruto. I'm done already."

Sakura snapped her book shut and placed it on the library table.

"Arigatou, Aiko-san," she called to the librarian. "The books helped me understand a lot!" The elderly lady merely nodded and smiled. Naruto and Sakura walked out of the Konoha Library.

As the two friends walked side by side, Sakura took the chance to glance at Naruto. He was much taller now than he was in their genin days, almost a half-head taller than her. The black-and-orange jumpsuit that he always wore identified the jonin, although he was already pretty famous. Even though mostly everyone had either forgotten or put aside the fact that the Kyuubi still resided inside Naruto, some were still cruel enough to rub salt in the old wound. These select few taunted him from inside buildings, but never close enough so that he would be able to swipe at them if angered. However, besides being a jinchuriki for the nine-tailed fox demon, Naruto had also accomplished many things. Just the other day, he and his ANBU squad had taken down one of the most wanted criminals in Konoha. Not only that, but just about a year ago, Naruto had single-handedly dragged their old comrade Sasuke back. For that, Sakura would always reserve a part of her heart just for him.

"Getting caught up in old memories, huh?"

His strong voice, filled with laughter, brought her back to her senses. Sparkling white teeth glinted in the morning sun as he smiled, and blue eyes twinkled merrily as he looked at her.

"Of course not!"

Sakura punched him playfully on the arm. She had given up hitting him violently because it never worked and he would always revert back to his idiotic self. That and trying to hit him hard enough wasted her chakra. Still, no matter how much she pushed him away, Naruto never grew tired of Sakura. Although much about him had changed, his crush on her had never waned. Well, he was loyal, she had to admit.

"Now, what is your reason for interrupting my research?"

"Ne, ne, Sakura-chan! I wasn't trying to disturb you!" Naruto held his hands up in mock defense. Then, he turned grave. "It's time for the prison to open for visitors." Sakura nodded. She had almost forgotten.

"Let's go then." The two rushed towards the Konoha Prison.

Naruto sped along, his chakra-enhanced jumps taking him faster along the way. While they had been speeding towards the prison, he had taken an opportunity to examine his friend. Sakura was even prettier than she was as a chunin, if that was possible. Now a jonin, and in the ANBU also, she had retained her chin-length pink hair. Her uniform was the same, although she only wore it when her duties as an ANBU member were not needed. Sakura's graceful movements, kind nature, and polite way of speaking gave her an air of sophistication. However, it was her eyes that affected people the most: beautiful green eyes that could express her feelings clearly. They could portray a sunlit field of grass when she was happy or emerald flames when she was angry. Not only was she lovely, her fighting skills were amazing. The strength and medical skills that years under the guidance of Tsunade had given her now rivaled those of Sakura's former shishou. She was catching up fast, and didn't feel so useless anymore. Naruto's musings were brought to a halt when they reached the main gateway to the Konoha Prison. The two friends gave their passes to the guard, who grunted and told them to move on. They passed into the dimly lit hallway of the jail.

The first thing Sasuke heard was the pattering of feet. Then the door's hinges as the thick slab of metal creaked open. Finally, the frantic calling of his friends.

"Sasuke-kun!"

"Sasuke!"

He had memorized their voices, and took comfort in them. The first to run up to his cell was Naruto.

"Sasuke! How are you doing? Are they treating you well?" Sakura joined in with,

"Sasuke-kun! I missed you! Are you okay?"

The Uchiha prodigy nodded. Although the prison was lonely and he had a cell to himself, his cold façade had not melted. At the rare times when he actually felt affectionate, Sasuke would reply with a "Yeah, I'm fine" or "Hn." Inside, he was actually glad that his friends took the time every day to visit him, even if it was only for half an hour each time. From these daily visits, Sasuke was told of the latest news. He was also able to find out that Sakura didn't think of him merely as a crush anymore (of which Sasuke was glad), Naruto had gotten a certificate of achievement recently, and both of them had gotten into the ANBU Black Ops. Sai had stayed on as a member of Team Kakashi, and was actually pretty valuable (as Naruto had grudgingly said). At first, Sasuke was surprised.

"You guys are in ANBU, and are still on Team Kakashi?" Both of his friends grinned. Sakura explained,

"Tsunade-shishou (she started training me after you left) gave us special permission. She says that we're the most promising group, so we get some advantages."

Upon seeing Sasuke's downcast look, Naruto said hurriedly,

"I'm sure that baachan will give you the same treatment too, dattebayo!"

At that, Sasuke unconsciously gave him a genuinely thankful smile. Before long, the 30 minutes had passed and the visitors were being shooed out by the guards.

"Well Sasuke, we'll see you tomorrow!"

"Sayonara, Sasuke-kun!"

Waving goodbye, the duo let the heavy iron door close behind them. Alone once again, Sasuke let his thoughts run rampage. After defeating Itachi in a heated battle, his older brother had given him the real reason for the clan massacre. He and Shisui had been part of a cult that Fugaku had not approved of. In fact, the whole clan did not seem to appreciate it. Itachi had been angry, and fought with his father often. One day, the cult had been so fed up with the Uchiha clan that Itachi and Shisui were ordered to murder them. Being devoted clan members, the two obliged. However, Itachi had gone power crazy, and even killed Shisui in the end. By the time he got to Sasuke, the mad streak in Itachi was satisfied. Sparing his younger brother, he went back to the cult and, to prove his power, killed the entire cult also. Joining the Akatsuki for even more power, he had trained and fought until he was the most powerful member next to Pein, the leader. However, his eyesight was decreasing (due to overusing his Mangekyo Sharingan) and he needed a new pair of Uchiha eyes. As Sasuke was the only eligible person, the fight for his eyes had been Itachi's objective all along. After his explanation had ended, Sasuke put an end to his brother's life. Now, as he was thinking it over, Sasuke wondered if he had actually put an end to his brother's suffering, instead of getting revenge. It didn't matter now, anyway. Itachi was dead, and Sasuke couldn't do anything about it, not now or ever.

"Uchiha! Your lunch." A guard slid a tray of prison food to the still reminiscing Sasuke. Shaking off his stupor, the handsome raven-haired man nodded and began eating. At least there were only 3 months left to serve in his sentence.

Sakura and Naruto walked slowly back to their neighborhood. They were always a bit happier after visiting Sasuke.

"Well Naruto, Sasuke-kun seems to be fine."

"Yeah, dattebayo! Ne, Sakura-chan, want to go get some ramen? Maybe like…a date?"

"Fine. But it's your treat."

Naruto chuckled.

"I won't let you down like I did when we were 15, dattebayo! There's actually enough in Gama for the both of us." He held up his frog wallet and cuddled it affectionately. Sakura laughed.

"Then let's go!" They ran towards the Ichiraku Ramen Bar. On the way, the two suddenly spotted a familiar sight.

"Green jacket, black pants," Sakura observed.

"Aloof countenance, gravity-defying grey hair…" Naruto said, squinting.

"That Icha Icha book…" Naruto and Sakura chorused. "Kakashi-sensei!" Both bolted towards their former sensei. He looked up.

"Yo," was his only reply. One eye peered at them lazily. Ever since the genin days, Naruto and Sakura had called the infamous Copy Ninja "Kakashi-sensei." The honorific had stuck on over time, although they were now equals and the aloof silver-haired man had stopped teaching them a long time ago. Now, the two jonin clustered around their senpai like excited children. Sakura spoke first.

"Sensei, when did you get back from your mission?"

"Oh, just about two days ago," was the answer.

"WHAT?!" The two friends shrieked.

"Two days, and you never even came to see us?" Naruto yelled. Sakura balled up her fist, ready to strike. However, Kakashi held up his hands with an apologetic look.

"Gomen, gomen, I'll make it up to you!" The two angry jonin stopped.

"How will you do that?" Sakura asked suspiciously.

"However you want me to."

"Anything?" A sly grin formed on Naruto's lips. Kakashi gulped. 'This may have been a bad idea,' he thought.

"Well, there is one thing you can do." Naruto smiled, a fox-like expression stealing over his face slowly. "Sakura-chan and I were just on our way to get some ramen, so-"

"You want me to pay for you guys," Kakashi cut in. "I can do that." Naruto looked shocked.

"How did you know--"However, Kakashi and Sakura were already far ahead of him.

"Wait! Matte, dattebayo!" The flustered blonde raced after his friends.

After the ramen, Kakashi parted ways with his former students. Oddly enough to the two of them, he looked relieved.

"Well Naruto, even though you didn't pay this time that was still a pretty good lunch." Sakura looked cheerfully at her friend. He grinned, then said,

"But did you see Kakashi-sensei? Why do you think he looked so relieved?"

"Since it's Kakashi-sensei, I don't think we'll ever know." Naruto shrugged at Sakura's reply.

"So, any ideas on what to do now?" Sakura thought for a moment. Then, she lit up.

"I know!"

"What, dattebayo?" Sakura whispered her plan into Naruto's ear.

"Sure, Sakura-chan! Let's go!" The two strolled off. Along the way, they met Team Gai (with the exception of Gai-sensei).

"Neji! TenTen! Bushy Brows!"

"Lee-san! Neji-san! TenTen-san! Konichiwa!" Naruto and Sakura ran over to their friends. Lee looked up.

"Sakura-san! Naruto-kun!" Neji followed after him.

"Naruto. Sakura." TenTen waved and smiled. One arm was hooked on to Neji's, and both looked into each other's eyes. Sakura smiled. They were so cute together! However, Lee looked quite forlorn. He was one of the few men in Konoha who had not yet gotten a girlfriend. The pink-haired girl felt sorry for her green-clad friend. Walking over to him, she placed a hand on his shoulder. He stared at her, surprised. In turn, Sakura gave him an encouraging smile that was sympathetic at the same time. Lee grinned back at her.

"Arigatou gozaimasu, Sakura-san," he whispered. Sakura stepped back to her spot beside Naruto. The yellow-haired man was still excitedly asking the trio questions.

"How are you guys?"

"Oh, we're fine!" TenTen replied. Neji nodded in agreement.

"The Springtime of Youth is not yet finished!" added Lee, Giving Naruto and Sakura a thumbs-up.

"Where are you going?" interjected Sakura.

"Training and then to the Hatsushima Restaurant," Neji replied.

"Well, have fun!" Naruto called as TenTen, Neji, and Lee sauntered down the block. They waved back in response. The hyperactive blonde and his lovely companion continued strolling towards their destination. Sakura sighed.

"They've all changed a lot, don't you think?" she asked. Naruto nodded. They were indeed different from when they had been younger. Neji had grown taller (though not as tall as Naruto) and his features had evolved into an even handsomer face. The signature brown-black hair that hung to his shoulders before had grown to a little bit above waist-level. Those Byakugan eyes that were Neji's kekkei genkai seemed even more striking. They were like two pearls embedded into the pale moon that was his face. TenTen could not be blamed for falling in love with him. She had kept her brown hair in the same way she always had: two buns on the sides of her head. Over time, her face had changed dramatically also. No longer the feisty tomboy she had been, TenTen had grown into a very pretty girl. A full, curvy figure complemented her well. And Lee? Although his garish uniform was the same, the large eyes and thick brows that had been so awkward before now matched his face perfectly. A firm jaw coupled with a straight nose made him seem almost… attractive. Years of intense taijutsu training had given him a thin, muscular body that was awesome to behold and frightening to enemies. Both he and the Hyuga prodigy had earned powerful titles: The Reincarnation of the Green Beast of Konoha and the Black and White Streak (due to his infamous Gentle Fist attack and uniform). Yes, the trio had changed a lot, and for the better. While letting their imaginations flow free, Naruto and Sakura finally arrived at their destination: the theater.

"I have a really good movie in mind…" Naruto said as he and Sakura stepped in the building.

"Fine, as long as it doesn't have anything to do with ramen."

"Oh, it doesn't. I can guarantee that!"

"Alright then. How about you get the tickets, and I'll get the refreshments?"

"Okay, dattebayo!"

As the movie started, Sakura groaned to herself in her head. She would have to word her demands more carefully in the future. Oh, Naruto had kept his word. After all, wasn't that his nindo, his ninja way? The movie didn't have anything to do with ramen, even in the slightest way. However, it was a romance movie. What was more, it contained "mature scenes" and lots of kissing, as the advertisement had said. When Sakura had been told, her first reaction had been to lash out and knock Naruto senseless. Still, she didn't want to seem hypocritical, especially since she had said that any ramen-free movie was good for her. So, an unhappy Sakura followed Naruto into the portion of the theater where "Wild Rose" was playing, with the blonde fortunately unscathed. Oh, well. At least they sat in the farthest row back. The movie also turned out to be better than she expected. She turned to her friend.

"This is actually a pretty good movie--"

Sakura was cut off by a pair of lips meeting her own. Cerulean eyes stared back at her, glowing with passion. Although Naruto was actually a pretty good kisser, she still pushed at him, ready to fight if he continued. However, she needn't have worried. Naruto pulled back at her touch immediately. His cheeks were flushed, and the usually easygoing man looked embarrassed. The heated feeling in Sakura's cheeks told her that she was also blushing furiously. Both turned to the screen. Not one word passed between them for the rest of the movie. The box of popcorn lay untouched in Naruto's lap.

The blonde man slapped himself mentally. What on earth had possessed him to kiss Sakura like that? Perhaps it was the influence of the movie. Maybe it was the way she stared at the screen, unconsciously enraptured, emerald eyes big and innocently wide. It could have been the way her lips puckered at every juicy scene, and curved into a smile at happy ones. Whatever the cause, Naruto had certainly done it now. Knowing Sakura, she would probably cut him out of her life totally. If she was merciful, then she would only ignore him for a couple of weeks. At least, that was what Naruto anticipated. That was why, when they walked out of the theater, he was caught by surprise. Sakura not only chattered away happily, but even thanked him for the movie.

"Arigatou, Naruto. That movie was great!" Confused, he pulled her over to a secluded area under a tree. Fidgeting slightly, Naruto finally decided to apologize.

"Sakura-chan, ano… I'm really sorry for what happened in the theater--"

"What are you talking about?" Her falsely cheerful voice gave the kunoichi away. Naruto went on.

"You know… when I…" Seeing her friend's genuinely troubled face softened Sakura's heart. Sighing, she told him,

"Let's just forget about it. We'll just act like everything is absolutely normal, okay?" Shaken, Naruto agreed.

"O-Okay…" He didn't even add his usual "dattebayo" or offer to walk her home.

"Well, I'm going to go train, Sakura-chan." He turned and walked away. Sakura was left alone, with the awkward spell still there. After staring in the direction by which Naruto had left for a long time, she finally also stepped away slowly. In order to be alone with her thoughts, Sakura chose to walk along the longer path to her house. As the pink-haired kunoichi padded along the road, she reflected back on what had just occurred. There, at the theater, while watching a ditzy romance movie, she had received her first kiss. It hadn't even happened with her consent; Naruto had just taken the liberty to plant one on her lips. But that wasn't the scary part, at least not in Sakura's mind. What was most terrifying was that she had _enjoyed _the brief moment. Of course, her reflexes had set in, and she had instinctively tried to push her friend away. In fact, Sakura was beginning to doubt if the word "friend" could be applied to Naruto. Friends didn't try to kiss each other. They didn't glance with passion-filled eyes at one another. And they most certainly didn't take each other to romance movies, even if the cost of admission was on sale for half of the price.

**But you enjoyed that brief encounter, didn't you?**

Sakura cursed inwardly. Why did her inner self have to butt in at a time like this?

_Of course I didn't enjoy it!_

**Really? Tell the truth. You know you're lying.**

_I didn't, okay? I'm telling the truth!_

**It's pointless to lie to yourself. **

Sakura had to admit it.

_Okay, I did enjoy it. So what? It's over now._

**So, you should try to get him!**

_NO! Don't you know what that will do to my dignity?_

**Come on, we both know that your dignity has nothing to do with this. Plus, your happiness level will really improve if you guys **_**do **_**get together!**

Sakura thought for a moment. Sighing, she answered Inner Sakura.

_Well, Inner, any ideas on __how__ to get Naruto?_

**Well, for starters, you can apologize…**

_And then?_

**Then, ask him to be your boyfriend!**

_That's your plan?_

**Can **_**you **_**think of a better one?**

_No… But I can try to be more tactful._

**Fine. If that's what my ideas get, why don't **_**you **_**just think of them yourself?**

_Whatever…_

The pink-haired girl sighed. Although she would have preferred to confront the situation later, Sakura knew that there was no time like the present. Veering off of her designated course, she made her way to the nearby training ground.

_Plunk!_ Another kunai slammed into the target. A sweating Naruto wiped his brow, and let loose a shuriken. It sliced through the air and slid neatly into another target. Although the blonde was sweating like crazy and his limbs were aching from fatigue, he continued to vent his feelings on the training ground and his weapons. Whereas other jonin drowned their worries in sake, Naruto used training as his solution. It got him immersed in other things (like trying to improve the Rasengan) and didn't destroy his liver. Finally having enough training for the moment, Naruto turned around and walked over to a nearby rock, where he sat down to rest. His eyes traveled lazily around the surrounding scenery. There were the trees, brown bark and green leaves standing out splendidly against the light blue sky. Red flowers clustered around the bottom of each thick trunk, letting off their sweet fragrance. Overhead, birds sang in mellifluous tones. A pink plant waved slightly in the distance… Wait. Something wasn't quite right. Naruto squinted at the exotically colored flora. It seemed to be… moving. And coming closer. And closer. And closer, until it was but a mere 3 feet away. Except the _it _wasn't an it. Sakura stood over him, her pink head bowed slightly. A soft breeze lifted tendrils of rose colored hair, making them seem like some exotic leaf of a plant. Her green eyes shone with a somewhat secretive glow. Normally pale cheeks were flushed, and slender fingers fidgeted. Sakura's lips opened as if she were about to say something, but then closed. Her eyes couldn't seem to look straight into Naruto's. Over all, she seemed to be embarrassed about something. Naruto got up from his perch on the rock. He then spoke.

"Sakura-chan, is something wrong?" The kunoichi didn't reply.

"S-Sakura-chan?" She didn't seem to hear him. Finally, she licked her lips.

"Naruto, I want to apologize for earlier."

"Oh, it wasn't your fault--"

"Yes, it was. So please, hear me out." Sakura took a deep breath.

"I'm really sorry. It was rude of me to push you away."She tried giving him a friendly smile. He accepted it and grinned back.

"No problem, Sakura-chan! Actually, it was really my fault--"

"No matter. And one more thing. I--"She stopped and tried again. "I-I just want to say--"No, it was too much. But she had to try. Taking another deep breath, Sakura resumed her sentence. "I-I just want to say that… you should have a good time with training!" A nervous smile flitted across her face. Sakura's hands clasped behind her back, and she stepped away from her blonde friend.

"Ano, okay." Naruto looked at the kunoichi. He wondered if she was okay. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah! Listen, I have to go now. Sayonara!" Sakura turned tail and ran out of the training ground premises, leaving a confused Naruto in her wake. He stared after her, his face expressing concern.

"Sakura-chan…"

Once she was safely out of Naruto's range, Sakura stopped. She sat down on a nearby bench. Inner Sakura began berating her.

**So, you chickened out, didn't you?**

_I couldn't do it! He was looking at me with those eyes of his…_

**You lovesick freak! Don't you have a backbone?**

_Hey! Let's watch the names there! Anyway, __you__ didn't do anything._

**Don't blame your failures on me! And anyway, I was the one who came up with the plan.**

_Your point?_

**I… Never mind. Just do it! He probably thinks you're a nut right now.**

_Oh Kami! You're right!_

**Aren't I always?**

_Technically, no. But that's not the problem right now! What am I going to do?_

**Well, since your "tactfulness" plan didn't work, why don't you just go along with my plan?**

_Are you kidding? I can't just apologize and then ask the baka out! Don't you know anything about social relationships?_

**Someone's touchy…**

_Geez, I get the point! Alright, I'll follow your stupid plan._

**Yay! Plus, it's not stupid.**

_Whatever. But how do I do that? He probably thinks I'm crazy right now!_

**So do something that shows him you're not crazy and that you want to be his girlfriend!**

_Hmm… That's actually a pretty good plan. I'll do it, but tomorrow._

Sakura got up from the bench. A beautiful sunset was appearing on the nearby beach, and painted the sky with beautiful colors. The pink-haired girl took this as a good sign and went on her way to the Haruno residence. Meanwhile, Naruto was also packing up for the day. Kunai and shuriken littered the ground and targets. Spiral shaped indentations adorned some trees, while others had been totally broken in half. Examining his handiwork, the yellow-haired man jogged home, hoping that the next day would be better.

Konoha awoke to a bleary, gray morning. Although there was a light drizzle outside, none of the citizens were disturbed by this. All except Sakura. She awoke to the usual sounds of hustling and bustling. Rubbing her sleep filled eyes, the pink-haired beauty climbed out of bed and flung the curtains open. Her first reaction was a groan. Of all the days in the year, why did it have to rain _today_? Especially since part of her plan to get Naruto back involved a beach. 'Oh well,' she thought. 'I'll just have to improvise.' Closing the curtains once more, Sakura commenced to starting her daily routine: brushing her teeth, splashing cold water on her face, dressing, brushing her hair, and breakfast.

"Sayonara, Okasan!" Sakura called as she walked out the door.

"Sayonara, dear," was her response. The pink-haired kunoichi slid the rice paper screen shut behind her. She inhaled deeply. The pungent scent of wet dirt and grass was comforting to her. After all, Sakura loved all types of weather, including rainy days. Putting a bright smile on her rosy face, she strode out on to the sidewalk confidently. Unfortunately, that had been a foolish thing to do. What had originally been a light drizzle was now a heavy onslaught of wet. Sakura rushed back into the house, changed, and grabbed an umbrella. Then she stepped back out, this time thankfully dry. However, the grin was gone from her face and replaced with a scowl. Passing villagers and shinobi alike quickly stepped aside to avoid the dangerous looking kunoichi, whose great strength was well known. Ignoring the frightened stares and whispers, she kept on going until she reached and apartment building. Sakura stepped inside and closed her umbrella. She walked up to the front desk.

"May I have Uzumaki Naruto's room number?" The receptionist checked in her book and replied,

"It's on the third floor, room 317. Take this elevator, go down the right side of the hallway, and you'll find it."

"Arigatou gozaimasu." Sakura bowed to the brown-haired woman. She made her way over to the elevator and pushed the button marked "up." The doors parted immediately and she stepped in. When the elevator reached the third floor, Sakura stepped out and followed the receptionist's directions. She found Naruto's room and raised her hand to the doorbell. Hesitating slightly, the pink-haired girl rehearsed her line over 

in her head. Then, gathering up her courage, she pushed the doorbell. A loud "ding-dong" was heard through the flimsy wooden door. Grumbling noises were emitted, followed by a crash. Then,

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" The door was opened by a sleepy Naruto, who rubbed his eyes and yawned. When he realized who it was, he stopped.

"Sakura-chan?"

"Ohayo, Naruto!" She smiled brightly.

"Oh! Ano, come in." He stepped aside to let her pass.

"Arigatou." Sakura stepped in. One word came to her mind immediately: _messy_. Naruto rubbed his head.

"I know, it's kinda messy. But if I had known that Sakura-chan was coming, I would have cleaned up…" The kunoichi just grinned. Naruto smiled back, then said,

"Well, I'd better go change. Make yourself at home!" He went into his bedroom. Sakura propped her umbrella against the wall and walked over to the window. There was a good view of the village here. Miniature houses littered the ground below, and the Hokage's cliff was right behind them. Five stone faces stared back at her through the rain. Naruto had certainly picked a beautiful place to live.

"It's nice, isn't it? I sometimes stare out there for a while myself." He stood next to her, looking out. Sakura looked at him. Naruto continued.

"I like the fact that the Hokage's cliff is right in the center of the view. That way, I can always be motivated to become Hokage."

"I figured that was the reason why you picked this exact place to live in." She sighed appreciatively. "It really is beautiful." He smiled at her comment.

"I'm glad you think so, dattebayo." Sakura and Naruto shared a moment looking at each other. The blonde turned away to look out the window again.

"Look, the rain has let up." Indeed, the sun was again dominating the sky, shedding light everywhere. A rainbow formed over the Hokages' heads, making the scene even prettier. Sakura gazed at the view, entranced. Then she looked back at Naruto. Sunlight glanced off his spiky hair, turning it into gold. His blue eyes were sapphires, and his straight, perfect nose added to his handsome profile. Naruto's muscular, lean body pleased his pink-haired friend, who blushed at this perverted thought. He noticed and said,

"Is there something wrong, Sakura-chan?"

"No, no! Of course not!" She said quickly. Suddenly, she remembered her purpose for coming over.

"Ano, Naruto, I came over to ask you, do you want to do something together after we visit Sasuke-kun?" The blonde man stared at her, incredulous. Since when was he on such good terms with the fiery kunoichi? Nevertheless, he smiled excitedly.

"Sure, Sakura-chan! I can do that, dattebayo!"

"Great!" She eyed his choice of clothing: an orange T-shirt, jeans, and a pair of sneakers.

"You sure are dressed casually today. Not even your hitai-ate is on. That's a surprise!"

"Well, Sakura-chan isn't exactly dressed formally either!" It was true. She was wearing a skin-tight pink blouse with a pair of white shorts, added on with some sandals. Her pink hair was pulled back into a messy bun. Naruto looked at her. His lips twisted into a wicked grin.

"You look pretty today, dattebayo. Now all of the guys on the street will be jealous when they see me walking with you!"

"Naruto, you baka!" Sakura playfully swatted at his arm. He tried to dodge, but tripped on an instant-ramen cup in the process. This caused him to fall on to Sakura, who lost her balance and fell back on to the couch. There was an awkward silence when their faces stopped about one inch away from the other. Then Naruto pushed himself up.

"Gomen."

Sakura stood up also. She straightened her clothing. Both of the friends were blushing. The embarrassed kunoichi replied,

"I think it's almost time for prison visiting hours. Let's go."

Both Naruto and Sakura were strangely quiet, Sasuke observed. Instead of the usual chattering and giggling, they were almost totally silent, resembling statues. The raven-haired Uchiha was the one who had to supply the conversation.

"How's the weather?"

"Fine."

"Done any missions lately?"

"Not really." Sasuke shook his head in disgust. What did he have to do to make them speak more than two words at a time?

"Naruto, Sakura." The two looked at him.

"Is there something wrong? You guys seem… quiet." It wasn't like the prodigy to be so caring. The yellow-haired man and pink-haired kunoichi were surprised. However, they still refused to converse with gusto.

"It's nothing, Sasuke-kun."

"Yeah, dattebayo." Naruto tried to flash a smile, but his peeved friend shot him a nasty glare. This made the jonin revert back to his silent musing. Meanwhile, Sakura was thinking hard. After many years of chasing after Sasuke, she hadn't expected that her first date (in a sense) would be spent with the loser, the baka: Naruto. But now, she realized that her companion was much deeper than that. He was a caring, loving individual who deserved to be treated as well as everyone else was. And she liked that. Sakura 

didn't know when her feelings for Naruto had changed so dramatically, but that didn't matter. Now, what was important was that he became her boyfriend, and that they share a life between them. Having set that matter straight, Sakura turned to more urgent matters: where should they go, and what should they do after the visit? Her mind was at a complete blank. Suddenly, she had an idea. Immediately, Sakura perked up.

"Well, Sasuke-kun, how have you been doing?" The said person was confused; why had she become so happy all of a sudden?

"Fine," was his reply. The mysterious black eyes had a suspicious and bewildered look to them. Oblivious, the blissful girl continued talking. On Naruto's hand, there had also been some deep thinking. He didn't know why Sakura had asked him out, especially on the day right after the theater incident. Of course, he was extremely happy about it, and wasn't protesting the attention that his friend was lavishing on him. Naruto couldn't wait to see what was in store for the rest of the day. With this weight lifted off of his shoulders, the equally blissful blonde joined the conversation too.

"They're treating you okay, right? If not, they'll have to deal with me!"

Once again, Sasuke was dumbfounded. What happened? Why was Naruto suddenly so perky too? However, he still regained his composure enough to nod as a reply. The remainder of the 30 minutes passed by quickly. After saying their good-byes, Naruto and Sakura left, carefree. Sasuke, however, had to deal with the fact that he was the odd man out, the one who didn't know anything. What was the deal with Naruto and Sakura? Why wouldn't they let him in on their secret? The two had always done so before. So why the mysteriousness now? This led Sasuke to make a resolution: to get the duo to spill the beans. Satisfied, the Uchiha waited for his lunch.

Naruto and Sakura strolled towards the Hokage's Tower. The pink-haired kunoichi had to drop off some completed papers to her shishou. As they neared the large doorway, the duo met Izumo and Kotetsu. Both men were carrying large stacks of books and papers. Sakura waved at them.

"Konichiwa, Izumo-san, Kotetsu-san!"

"Hey, Izumo, Kotetsu!" The two were very preoccupied with their task: trying to balance their loads. However, Izumo took the time to smile hurriedly and say,

"Sakura-san, Naruto-kun." Kotetsu also replied with a "Konichiwa!" Then, the two men waddled away. Naruto shrugged, and he continued walking to the Hokage's office with Sakura.

"Come in!" Tsunade called as she heard knocks issuing from her office door. The Sannin's pink-haired apprentice entered along with her blonde companion.

"I've completed the papers, shishou."

"Hey, Tsunade-baachan!"

"Naruto, be respectful!" Sakura reprimanded him. Pointedly ignoring the boy's last comment, Tsunade spoke.

"Very good, Sakura. Just give the work to me." After the paperwork was handed to her, the blond Hokage commented drily,

"You two are dressed casually today. Where are you going?" Her sharp honey-brown eyes didn't fail to notice Naruto's excited expression, nor did they miss Sakura's suddenly pink cheeks.

"Ano, we were…"

"You see, baachan, Sakura-chan and I are going--!" Naruto was halted by his friend's hand clamped over his mouth. She smiled nervously.

"We were… going to get together with some friends! Yeah, that's it! Well, sayonara Tsunade-shishou!" Sakura dragged a whimpering Naruto out of the room. Outside, under a secluded grove of trees, she assaulted him mercilessly.

"But Sakura-chan, I was just going to--"

"You were just going to what?"

"Tell baachan--"

"That we were going on a date? Psshaw!"

"But aren't we?"

"No!" Sakura was immediately ashamed of her harsh words once she had a glimpse of Naruto's drooping face. Gently, she told him,

"It's more like a fun thing to do between friends."

"Oh." The blonde's face reverted back to its original excited state.

"So, what should we do?" At that point, Sakura's stomach gave a growl. The abashed kunoichi's face turned red. Naruto, however, was unfazed.

"To get some food then. Your choice, Sakura-chan!" His companion looked at him gratefully. She thought for a moment.

"I don't really care. Just not Ichiraku Ramen, okay? Oh, and no dingy bars or pubs." She proudly noted her cautioned wording. Naruto grinned.

"I know just the place, dattebayo!" He grabbed his friend's arm and pulled her along with him. They stopped in front of a small restaurant. The sign said, "Welcome to the Konoha no Houseki Restaurant!" However, the place's appearance did not look like a "Jewel of Konoha." Sure, it was decent. But the chipped paint on the door and grime on the windows didn't remind Sakura of a classy, upscale eatery.

**Unsatisfied with your demand again?**

_Shut up, Inner._

**Just asking…**

The pink-haired girl shut out her inner self's nagging voice and proceeded to enter the restaurant. A large, plump, jolly-looking man greeted them. Naruto clapped his hand on the man's pudgy shoulder.

"Oi, Tougarashi! How are you?"

"Fine, fine, Naruto-kun! And you?"

"Great! Say, can you do me a little favor? Sakura-chan and I," He indicated Sakura. "Want to have some lunch. Do you mind setting us up at a table, with everything on the menu?"

"Of course! Not only that, but all of your food will be on the house! It's the least I can do after you saved my daughter." A little girl popped out beside her father. Naruto knelt down.

"Hey, Fuurin-chan!" Fuurin bowed to the blonde, who ruffled her head. Tougarashi smiled.

"Now, if you'll come with me, Naruto-kun, I'll set you up at a table with the young lady." The two followed him into the back, where they were seated at a small table. Then, their host went into the kitchen. Naruto and Sakura could hear him shout,

"Everything on the menu, and hurry it up!" The kunoichi giggled. Then, she turned to her companion.

"It seems like you know a lot of people around here." He grinned and rubbed his head.

"Well, you get to know them well after you save either them or their kin."

"I see." She sighed. "In that case, I guess I won't be getting to know anybody anytime soon."

"Now, don't say that, Sakura-chan! You save a lot of people's lives every day!"

"Oh, and who said I doubted that? I was only commenting on the shortage of missions and hospital work."

"Oh! Well…" Naruto was saved by the arrival of the food. Tougarashi placed the plates on the table and grinned.

"Eat up!"

"Arigatou, Tougarashi!"

"This looks delicious, Tougarashi-san!" The plump man blushed.

"Well, it isn't everyday that we get a beautiful lady eating at our humble restaurant. That's why our chefs made the food extra delicious!" Sakura's pink-tinged cheeks showed her pleasure.

"Well, I'll leave you two to your meal. Gotta go watch the front desk!" He waddled off towards the entrance. Meanwhile, Naruto and Sakura had snapped their chopsticks apart. Each took a large bite of the food. The yellow-haired man was used to the cuisine and dug in. However, the kunoichi had not tasted it before, and was totally unprepared for the delectable taste that the food gave. No wonder the restaurant 

was called "Konoha no Houseki!" She also indulged in the wonderful meal. When the two jonin were finished, they walked over to the front of the restaurant. Naruto grinned widely.

"Arigatou, Tougarashi! That was the best meal I've had in a long time!"

"Wow, Tougarashi-san, you restaurant is wonderful! Arigatou gozaimasu!" Their host turned red and smiled. Still grinning, he told them,

"No problem, Naruto-kun! It was my pleasure, Sakura-san! Now, sayonara!" Naruto and Sakura waved. The yellow-haired man stooped down.

"Sayonara, Fuurin-chan!" The little girl waved.

"Sayonara, Naruto-san!"

Naruto smiled and stood up.

"Let's go, Sakura-chan!" They strolled out of the restaurant. The blonde strode confidently.

"Where do you want to go now, Sakura-chan?"

"Well, I was thinking. Would you like to go to the park?"

"Sure!" Both turned to the direction of the said area. When they arrived, Sakura walked over to a bench. She sat down. Naruto followed after her. They looked around for a long time. Then, Sakura sighed.

"This is my favorite place to rest in the park. You can get a really nice view of the pond from here."

"Hmm, I see what you mean. It _is _cool, dattebayo!" A moment of silence passed.

"Ano, Sakura-chan…"

"Hai, Naruto?"

"I'm… kind of the active type, so… can we do something other than sit around?" Tentatively, he waited for the harsh reply. Surprisingly, she spoke in a gentle tone.

"Sure, Naruto! What do you want to do?"

"Ano, we could jog around the pond and chat, dattebayo!"

"Okay. Lead the way!" Naruto and Sakura stood up and proceeded to stroll around the circumference of the pond. In order to make light conversation, they talked about their friends and themselves.

"Did you see Hinata? Kiba? Shino?"

"Yeah! They're really different now, dattebayo!"

"And with Akamaru being 4 times his original size, they make a fearsome team."

"What about Kakashi-sensei?"

"Oh, he's the same as always. Nothing changed with him."

"Well, _you _changed, Sakura-chan."

"You did too, Naruto." Another lapse of silence. A bird shrilled from a treetop. The sun was just about to set, creating a pink glow that spread throughout the sky. Both friends continued walking without a word. After they had rounded the pond for about 2 times, the stars had come out.

"It's getting late. We should head back now."

"I'll walk you home, Sakura-chan." For once, the kunoichi didn't refuse. They walked out of the park entrance. Naruto looked around. His companion observed their surroundings too.

"Well, let's go, dattebayo!" Both stepped along in the fresh nighttime air. However, as they reached a broken down, dingy street, the stench of liquor was imminent. Sakura wrinkled her nose in distaste as Naruto made a face. However, they continued to walk cautiously along, in case danger was just around the corner. Therefore, they were not surprised when a couple of drunken men sauntered tipsily towards them. Each was holding a bottle of strong sake in their hands. One guy, catching sight of Sakura, said tipsily,

"Hey beautiful." The other one, upon noticing what his partner was referring to, also slurred out,

"Ditch Sunshine and come with us." During this time, the kunoichi had been shivering, partly due to anger and also because of the leers that the two men gave her. Meanwhile, the blonde had been glaring at the drunks, daring them to come closer. Oblivious to everything except the pretty girl and the sake bottles in their hands, the intoxicated fools did indeed edge closer to Sakura, until there was but a four-foot space between them. This was too much for Naruto. He stepped forward and growled.

"Leave Sakura-chan alone." One drunk laughed.

"So, your name's Sakura-chan, huh?"

His friend sneered at the infuriated blonde.

"What makes you think that you can stop us?" As if to prove his point, he stepped even closer to the trembling pink-headed girl, who shrank back. Emboldened by the other's words, the second drunk also stepped forward and reached out an arm to Sakura. Suddenly, the man was grabbed by a strong hand, which promptly flipped the unfortunate creature into a nearby tree. The other man was dealt to in a similar way. Both were sprawled out on the ground with their backs against the tree. Looking at his handiwork, Naruto snarled,

"Because I'm Uzumaki Naruto, Konoha's next Hokage." He turned and took Sakura's hand, leading her away from the mess. By that time, the kunoichi had recovered a bit. She uttered shakily,

"A-Arigatou, Naruto."

"No problem, Sakura-chan. I just can't stand to see one of my friends get ogled like that." Smiling weakly, the pink-haired jonin replied,

"Like you don't do the same thing." Their playful banter ceased as they neared Sakura's door. Naruto waved and turned away. He looked back over his shoulder.

"Sayonara, Sakura-chan! See you tomorrow, dattebayo!" As he was about to go away, a voice stopped him.

"Matte, Naruto." The said person turned back.

"Sakura-chan?" All of a sudden, a pair of arms slid around his neck. Soft lips met Naruto's own. Sapphire eyes stared into emerald ones. Gradually, the yellow-haired jonin's own arms circled around the pink-haired kunoichi's waist. The kiss lasted for several seconds. Eventually, Sakura pulled away.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Naruto, and arigatou gozaimasu again for saving me," she said as the door closed behind her. Dumbstruck, the blonde shinobi was rendered immobile for a moment. Regaining his senses, Naruto joyfully pumped his arms into the air and ran back home.

* * *

So, what did you think of the story? I'd be happy to hear your comments.


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